


Hey, Brother

by glaciershipping



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, au where varian was an orphan and he and eugene grew up as brothers, dedicated to the varianation xoxo, just a lil oneshot concept for this au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23657368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glaciershipping/pseuds/glaciershipping
Summary: Eugene's gone, possibly for good, and Varian doesn't know what to do.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian
Comments: 4
Kudos: 92





	Hey, Brother

**Author's Note:**

> this one goes out to my bros at the varianation, thanks for getting me to actually feel like writing for once 😌 luv u guys xoxo

Varian sat in silence on a tree stump in a clearing, illuminated only by the gentle moonlight filtering through the cedar branches. The serenity of the scene contrasted with the anxiety curled tight in his gut, escaping through his restless, aching leg and the teeth tightening on his gloved hand. Hours. He'd been sitting there for hours. He'd been separated from his brother for even longer. Eugene, wonderful, funny, sweet Eugene, was gone, taken by that _damned_ guard, probably locked up in a cell miles away in the city capital, _awaiting a trial that that was gonna end with him in the gallows, hanged and swinging limply by the neck–_

His thoughts were cut off with a sharp inhale and the sudden realization that his teeth had broken through the cheap rubber, drawing a pinprick of blood. Even the small drop made him feel slightly woozy. He shook his head to clear his thoughts from the sight.

_Okay, calm down, Varian. Deep breaths. Just like Eugene showed you._

Varian closed his eyes, willing himself to remember the feeling of Eugene's hands clasped around his own and the gentleness of his voice helping him through his last attack.

_"Hey, deep breaths for me, buddy, alright? Just breathe, Varian. It's gonna be alright."_

The teen inhaled and exhaled alongside the memory of his brother, feeling tears prick at his eyes as he did. He missed him. So, so much. Unwillingly, his mind wandered to the most recent memory he had of him.

...

_"Eugene!"_  
_No, no, no, please, god, why this, why now? Why, when it was all going so well? They'd come out of nowhere–Corona's royal guard, if the emblem on their armor was anything to go by, surrounded them the moment they'd come near the forest's edge (damn it, they should've known better than to trust that wagoner), and, and–_  
_They got Eugene._  
_"Varian!"_  
_Varian watched him struggle from within the grasp of the two men who held him captive, to no avail._  
_"Kid, run!"_  
_"E-Eugene, I–"_  
_"NOW!"_  
_He stumbled back, just barely avoiding being snatched up by the third guard there. His head snapped back to Eugene, hesitantly stepping closer to the thicket. Eugene met his eyes, nodding slightly._  
_"It's gonna be alright."_  
_Varian screwed his eyes shut and bit back a sob, running full-speed back into the growth, ignoring the angry shouts from the guards cut off by sounds of a struggle likely caused by Eugene buying him time to escape. And so he ran, running, running, running..._

...

Varian exhaled, bitterly exiting his vivid recollection of the events from mere hours prior. His aching legs pulsed with his heartbeat, worn out from running until he reached his absolute limit. Eugene had gotten captured, and what did he do? Ran away like a coward, while his brother fought to keep him safe. Tears welled in his eyes. He'd been sitting there for hours with no sight of the older man. Even if Eugene had somehow managed to escape their grasp and fight them all off, who was to say that he wouldn't be discovered by the guard before his brother found him? He curled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. It wasn't like he could leave, though. If he left, he was giving up any chance of ever seeing Eugene again. 

_Even if that chance was in a jail cell alongside him._

Lost and afraid, he wept into his knees like a child, muffled sobs echoing around the clearing.

_Eugene, where are you?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the sharp snap of a twig. Varian jumped up, hurriedly wiping his eyes and scanning the pitch-black thicket for the source of the noise.   
"Wh-who's there?"  
His voice was raw from crying, and, _God_ , he hated how _weak_ he sounded. He realized then that he had nothing to defend himself with, quickly looking nearby for a stick or rock or something, when–

"Varian!"

His head snapped to face the source, not believing his ears for a moment when, lo and behold, none other than Eugene stepped out from the shadows, relief shining on his face like a beacon. Bruised and scratched, yes, but _okay_.  
Varian gasped, smiling wider than he thought possible.

"EUGENE!"

Weariness be damned, Varian gathered what little strength he had left and sprinted towards Eugene, stumbling slightly before tackling his brother in the tightest hug he could manage.

"Wh–hey, careful there, kid!"  
Eugene quickly regained his balance and returned the hug, laughing as the teen nestled his face into his shoulder.  
"Oh, Eugene! Y–You're okay!"  
A laugh of relief bubbled in his throat, cut off by a new wave of emotion has he clung to the older man like a lifeline.  
"Of course I am! After all, it'll take more than a few ol' guards to hold the legendary Flynn Rider down!"

Eugene spoke with his usual brovado, removing an arm from Varian to make a smug hand gesture further emphasizing his point.

He was taken aback by a sob from the teen, and just as suddenly realized that the boy's thin figure was shaking like a leaf in his arms.  
"They guards, they t–took you, and I heard a fight, a–and... I thought I'd _lost_ you, Eugene, I... I thought I'd never see you again..."  
He was cut off by another sob, whimpering when he felt a calloused hand run through his hair comfortingly.

"Shh, shh... It's alright, Varian. I'm here."  
Varian continued weeping and Eugene squeezed him tighter, rubbing a hand on his back and whispering comforting nothings as his little brother sobbed in his arm.  
It was only when the sobs turned into sniffles that Eugene truly spoke again.  
"Hey... I'm so proud of you, you know? I know it wasn't easy for you to leave me like that, but you still did it."  
Varian whimpered again, far too tired to even try to speak.

"Hey, it's alright, bud. You don't have to say it. I know. And you know another thing?"   
Varian shook his head from the crook of Eugene's shoulder, eliciting a chuckle from him.  
"I'm never going to leave you again, Varian. That's a promise."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Varian stood at the base of the amber growth, running a gloved hand along its glassy surface. His cold gaze, illuminated by the orange-yellow glow of the substance, met Eugene's, eyes frozen in horror from within the compound.  
Varian chuckled mirthlessly, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

"Never one for keeping promises, were you, Eugene?"

**Author's Note:**

> ahaha please don't hate me for that ending


End file.
